DUI Lawyer in Highland Park, IL

A DUI stop in Highland Park can start on Sheridan Road near the lake, on Central Avenue downtown, along Green Bay Road, or on the faster west-side corridors of U.S. Route 41 (Skokie Highway / Skokie Valley Road) and Lake-Cook Road. Festival nights near Ravinia, late Metra returns, and everyday North Shore driving can all end the same way: a court date, a license problem, and pressure to decide too fast.

Stavros Law Offices is based at 433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090—a practical drive from Highland Park and the surrounding North Shore. We have handled criminal defense, DUI, and traffic matters across Northern Illinois since 1978. For DUI and criminal defense, clients often work with T. Justin Stavros—Partner and former Lake County Assistant State's Attorney. Partner Vincent M. Stavros is also a former Lake County ASA. If you were arrested or charged with DUI in or around Highland Park, call 847-520-4810 for a free consultation. Consultas disponibles en inglés o español.

This page is educational information about Illinois DUI issues and how our firm approaches these cases. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Outcomes depend on the facts and the law—no lawyer can honestly guarantee a result.

What a Highland Park DUI case can involve

Illinois treats driving under the influence as a serious offense. A typical matter involves more than one moving piece:

• The criminal charge driving or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or intoxicating compounds, or with an unlawful alcohol concentration
• Testing and evidence — field sobriety tests, breath testing, and blood or urine results may be used; how the stop began and how testing was done are subject to scrutiny
• First-time vs. enhanced allegations — a first alleged DUI still carries real consequences; priors, a high test result, an accident, a child passenger, a CDL, or similar factors can raise the stakes (including aggravated DUI in some cases)
• Where the case is heard — Highland Park is in Lake County; most local arrests stay in Lake County courts. A stop a few blocks south toward Lake-Cook Road or into Northbrook / Deerfield can shift venuealways read the county on your paperwork

North Shore clients often worry as much about career, professional licensing, and insurance fallout as about the courtroom calendar. We address the criminal file and the license track without overselling either.

Related charges we often see with DUI include reckless driving, leaving the scene, and driving while suspended or revoked. For the full practice overview, see our criminal defense, DUI, and traffic hub. Statewide DUI reading: Illinois DUI defense attorney. Nearby city pages: Northbrook DUI, Vernon Hills DUI, Libertyville DUI, Buffalo Grove DUI.

We focus on the charging documents, reports, video, and scientific evidence—and the defenses the law actually supports—not invented court nicknames or promised outcomes.

License problems and Statutory Summary Suspension (SSS)

In Illinois, a DUI arrest often triggers two tracks:

1. The criminal case — possible fines, supervision or conviction risks, jail exposure in some situations, evaluations, and other court conditions
2. Statutory Summary Suspension — a separate Secretary of State process that can suspend driving privileges on a short timeline after a chemical-test failure or refusal, depending on your notice

Summary-suspension notices carry deadlines. Missing one can limit options to challenge the suspension or seek driving relief. Timing and relief depend on your notice, your record, and whether you refused or submitted to testing.

Bring any suspension notice to your consultation. Commuters on the Edens / Tri-State corridor and anyone who drives for workespecially CDL holders—should treat license issues as urgent. Do not assume the criminal court date is the only clock that matters.

Why local counsel—and former Lake County prosecutors—matter

Highland Park sits on Lake County's North Shore, next to Highwood, Deerfield, Lake Forest, and Glencoe—and just across Lake-Cook Road from Cook County suburbs like Northbrook. That geography matters: the arrest town and the courthouse county are not always the same story.

Former prosecutors on our team know how Lake County DUI files are screened and where cases are weak. Justin Stavros is the firm's DUI/criminal go-to for many new matters. We prepare as if the case may be tried, then pursue the path that best protects you when the facts and law support itplain English, no purchased “badge marketing, no fake result tallies.

We also help Highland Park residents stopped in Cook County or elsewhere in the counties we serve (McHenry, Kane, Will, DuPage, DeKalb, Boone, and Kendall, depending on the case).

What to do after a DUI arrest (general guidance)

General information onlynot a do-it-yourself defense plan:

1. Stay silent about case facts except with your lawyer. Avoid social media, group texts, and recorded jail calls about the stop.
2. Keep every paper tickets, bond conditions, summary-suspension notice, towing paperwork, and court dates.
3. Calendar court dates and license deadlines immediately. Do not assume any date is just a formality.
4. Do not ignore the license track while waiting on the criminal casethey can move on different schedules.
5. Get medical care if you need it; if asked to discuss the arrest, talk to counsel first.
6. Call a DUI lawyer early early review can preserve video, raise stop or testing issues when the law supports it, and protect license options that shrink with time.

If you are unsure whether you need a lawyer, use the free consultation. Waiting rarely improves the evidence against you.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer for a first DUI in Highland Park?
Yes, you should at least get advice. A first DUI is still a criminal charge with license and insurance consequences that can matter professionally. A free consultation clarifies exposure and deadlines.

Is the court case the same as my license suspension?
No. The criminal case and Statutory Summary Suspension are related but separate. Bring all notices so neither track is neglected.

What if I refused the breath or blood test?
Refusal can carry its own license consequences; the State may still rely on observations, video, and other evidence. Get case-specific advice quickly.

Will a DUI automatically mean jail?
Not automatically. Outcomes vary with charge level, priors, accident or injury allegations, test results, and how the case is defended. We explain realistic options; we do not guarantee results.

My stop was on Lake-Cook Road—Cook or Lake?
It depends on the exact location and how the case was charged. Call with the municipality and county printed on your ticket so we can confirm coverage.

Do you offer consultations in Spanish?
Yes—English or Spanish. Call 847-520-4810.

Cities and communities we commonly serve near Highland Park

From our Wheeling office we regularly speak with clients in and around Highland Park, Highwood, Deerfield, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Glencoe, Northbrook, Wilmette, Vernon Hills, Libertyville, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, and nearby communities.

Arrest town and court location are not always the same. If your paperwork lists a different municipality or county, call anyway—we can confirm whether we can appear.

Sibling DUI city pages in this batch: Vernon Hills · Northbrook · Mundelein · Des Plaines.

Talk with Stavros Law Offices

Facing a DUI in Highland Park or on the North Shore? Get clear information before deadlines pass. Ask for Justin on new DUI and criminal matters.

• Phone: 847-520-4810
• Office: 433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090
• Free consultation · Consultas disponibles en inglés o español
• Attorney bio: T. Justin Stavros
• Contact: /contact-us

We have stood with clients in serious traffic and criminal matters since 1978. Call today—we will explain the next steps in plain English.